the world out of balance
by of self
Summary: Truman French is very good at mindgames. Truman/Sam and some Derek/Casey. AU.
1. Chapter 1

This was a request prompt by unoriginal_elizabeth over at livejournal.

The one where Truman plots to date..._Sam_.

Note - This is slash and if it makes you feel uncomfortable, then by all means click on the back button. :)

* * *

the world out of balance.

//

The cafeteria is abuzz with noise and everything seems to be going fine. Derek is arguing with Casey, the cheerleaders are gossiping, the jocks are shoveling food down their throats; basically, the balance of the universe is perfect.

And then in two seconds flat, the balance of the universe is thrown out whack and a deathly silence descends over the cafeteria.

Heads swivel around and jaws drop as everyone with a pair of working eyes notices that Truman French is sitting down at Derek Venturi's table.

Meanwhile, the inhabitants of the table are in a state of shock. Well Derek and Casey are.

Ralph couldn't care less, not when he's mentally composing an ode to Amanda involving bagel slicers and vinyl pants. Emily is surprisingly calm and continues with her lunch like nothing ever happened.

And _Sam_.

Sam is a little flushed but for the most part he's calm too.

Derek's the one who wants to burst a blood vessel and Casey is the one who's having a coronary.

"Sup Richards." Truman nods casually towards Sam before continuing with his lunch. He doesn't seem to be paying attention to the fact there's a former girlfriend and former girlfriends' odd step-brother/his enemy at the table.

Sam blinks, nods, blushes and swallows.

Emily smiles.

//

"What the fuck was that about?" Derek is in an explosive mode and his arms are swinging all over the place. They are walking back home because the Prince has finally succumbed to old age and George is not sure if he can trust Derek with Shiny New Expensive Things.

"Language Derek," Casey mutters mechanically as she ponders the enigma that is Truman French. Does he want her back or something? But then again, he barely said a word to her. Actually, the sum total of his conversation – fours words—all were addressed to Sam alone. They consisted of a greeting and a goodbye.

That makes no sense. But just incase he's going ask her out or something, she's going to say no.

She glances at Derek who's still gesticulating wildly and she sighs heavily.

She's a little occupied with other things right now.

//

"Em, what do you think he's doing. Is he trying to mess with Derek's head? Cause he's doing a real good job of it."

Casey breathes her anxiety into the phone and Emily tries hard not to chuckle.

"Don't worry Case. He's messing with Derek's head just for kicks."

Casey cannot comprehend. And once again, on the other end of the line Emily hears the confusion, the anxiety and she wonders if Derek would just stop being such a drama queen and just take stock of the situation.

Unattached Casey worried about him and _not_ Truman.

It's really hard not to do the math.

"But why?"

"Because, self discovery is a scary process and antagonizing Derek is a comforting constant."

Casey feels like her brain is frying. Maybe all the stress is getting to her cause Emily sounds like she's preaching an obscure branch of philosophy that makes no sense on stupid days, let alone clever ones.

"Never mind Em, see you tomorrow."

Emily is the one who sighs now.

It's not that she likes being so cryptic. Being with Sheldon Schlepper kind of makes it prudent to keep it blunt and simple. But until Sam gets it, Casey won't.

And until then, Emily can't tell.

//

Routines are comforting and never nerve wracking but when Truman comes and sits each day at the table, Sam is conscious of a feeling he cannot comprehend. It's at the tip of his tongue, dancing with impatience to come out but his brain is a stubborn thing and Sam just doesn't know what to do.

Truman sits across him, nods and smiles and sometimes he gazes at him and all Sam ever feels like is an awkward teenager in the first flush of a crush.

He wishes someone would explain his own brain to him.

But then again, they'd have to get inside his head in order to do that and Sam's not sure if he's ready for that as yet.

He has a lot of…_issues_.

//

Truman enjoys the concept of a challenge.

The thrill, the adrenaline and the anticipation as he works towards something gives him a rush and heady thoughts.

This time, it's a challenge and nothing has really changed except for a few logistics here and there.

But the catch here is that there is only thing at stake.

And that thing belongs to Truman.

At the thought of that thing being shred to tiny little pieces, Truman's blood run's cold and he breaks into a cold sweat.

But nothing ventured, nothing gained right?

And if heartbreak is the price to pay, Truman will someday recover.

He has faith, not in himself. But he has hope that someday, he'll be okay.

Happy.

//

Derek's heart is sort of hanging by vague fragile threads.

It's corny and cheesy but there's a bitter desperation that runs through his veins when see's Truman sitting at the table, so _fucking_ unconcerned. Like the composure he exudes doesn't even compare to the inner turmoil and heartfail that Derek is experiencing.

It kind of doesn't seem fair.

Because here Derek is, living happily along in Denial, and it's more than a river in Egypt, it's a _freaking_ continent when along comes Truman and all of a sudden Derek feels like the floor is being snatched out from under him.

And then there's Casey, her gaze shifting between him and Truman like a hyperactive rabbit on crack.

What gives, o universe?

It doesn't even occur to him, not even for one second that maybe, it doesn't have to do with him or Casey.

That the whole deal here is Sam, _his_ issues and Truman and _his_ heart.

* * *

It was supposed to be a snippet. But it's not. Second chapter is being written because idk, this fic wants to be more than a one-shot?

Anyhow my first LwD slash. YAY!


	2. Chapter 2

Note - I'm a id-jit. I finished this chapter a week ago but I forgot to post it. I'm a id-jit with a memory problem.

Disclaimer - I dont own LwD. I mean, if I did, Sheldon wouldn't have been sent off to god knows where godammit!

* * *

Realization is offered to people in three ways.

a. The realization is quiet. It is slow and it doesn't impact you in the way that you expect it. It's like having a thought passing through your brain, you dwelling on it and then moving on. The thought and you, that is.

b. The realization that is slow and ongoing but when it comes, it comes with such a bang, that it robs you of all your senses and leaves you numb, like you've spent too much time out in the cold with your fingers stuck in the snow.

c. The realization that is quick like lightning and so explosive that even for a few moments, you want to forget everything you have ever known because the exploding fireworks going off inside your brain are searing your flesh with the intensity of the light. Later on you'll forget this realization because it's probably too difficult to swallow in the first place.

Right now, Sam is stumbling down the stairs and out of his house, not sure of where he's really going. He's suffering from the after effects of the realization number two.

Everything is slowly clicking into place. The pleasant dates which never morphed into anything remotely exciting or more, the blushes that came along with the boys locker room and the final nail in the coffin is his fascination with, _what_ he's not really sure but Sam thinks that the final nail in the coffin is the fact that he sort of vaguely knew all along. Like it was the tip of his tongue but he never had the courage or the inclination to voice it.

Then Truman comes along and upsets the apple cart and Sam is pretty sure he's having a teenage existential crisis.

He wanders along blindly and just wishes that you know, that there was someone he could talk to.

//

Two hours later he's still wandering along convinced that everything ends tonight and then he bumps into Ralph walking his cat.

Okay, don't really ask. And Sam doesn't even register Salad's (who's a staunch fishatarian by the way) presence. All he sees is Ralph, smiling and cheerful.

"Dude," Ralph begins amiably, "you look like shit. I bet you feel like it too."

Sam grips him with all the strength of manacle clinging onto something and mumbles hoarsely, "I'm gay." Magically, his shoulders slump and sags visibly with relief before straightening up in horror and staring at a blinking Ralph who doesn't look very surprised. Or confused.

"I knew." Sam's head whirls. He's not sure if he can think anymore and yeah, it _really_ does end tonight.

"But it's okay." Ralph grins and claps him on the shoulder warmly and screw it, Sam goes in for a hug.

"I thought nobody would ever understand or realize." And shit, he's actually crying a little, though it's mostly with relief.

"It was kind of a done deal when you recommended pleather instead of vinyl. And then I had to clarify a few things with Emily and then we like collaborated on those awesome detective shows you see on the tube and reached a conclusion. I was all for like telling you right away, cause it's awesome to know who you are but then Emily was all like you had to undergo self-absorption or something and realize on your own. So I like, made a pinky promise with Em not to tell."

"_Emily_ knows?" Sam is all kinds of horrified. What kind of crack world is this where everyone knows about your sexuality with certainty when you yourself have spent the better part of your life under a blanket of mostly blissful ignorance?

"Emily knows a lot of things," says Ralph in complete awe. "Did you know that she knew that I was just easily distracted, not dumb? She's like I don't know, a know it all." And Ralph means that in the best way possible. Right after Disney Channel's awesomeness, Emily's brain has to be the best thing ever. She just _knows_ everything.

"Yeah, that figures," Sam says with a fond smile.

"So dude, wanna go grab a bite? I'm in the mood for some chili cheese fries."

And Sam gives Ralph another heartfelt hug. The world may turn on it's axis but Ralph will continue moving, acknowledging and accepting whatever change without any questions. With Ralph, everything is always how it has been.

Everything else might but the basics don't.

//

The next day at school, Sam doesn't feel like a brand new person. Rather he feels complete in a sense. Like a puzzle which has now been pieced together completely. The first thing he does is seeks Emily out.

He grips her hands tight and mumbles his thanks, his voice laced with overwhelming gratefulness.

"We've been acquaintances for like ever. It's what we almost friends do." Emily says it with a twinkle in her eye and Sam can't help but grin.

Because this is exactly one of those moments where you figure you made that new best friend for life.

And you can never be too late for _that_.

* * *

I think I lost that nice flow of the first chapter. Which is kind of sad cause I liked the way that turned out. This, I'm a little iffy about. Anyhoo, one more part to go. :)


End file.
